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I am reliably informed that the turnover from the 2008 Biennial was £750,000.

If the intention is to save £240,000 (which has mysteriously doubled from the £120K originally quoted), then as the Biennial is every two years, the argument for the yearly saving of closing Broadfield is probably completely negated. Also: if you take away the museum, then the Biennial is deprecated, meaning less visitors, resulting in a lower turnover.

The implication is that the Biennial creates more than enough profit to cover the cost of running the museum and still saves enough for the councillors to fly around the world on jollies.

Shameful loss to both area and our heritageStourbridge News11:00am Thursday 29th January 2009

I READ with disgust the news to close Broadfield House Glass Museum. This museum is central to Stourbridge’s identity as a significant centre of glass and without it we will cease to attract numerous visitors to the area. Whilst the council could argue that the Cone provides a suitable alternative location, anyone that has visited both sites would agree that this is rubbish. Broadfield House is a beautiful, tranquil location and I know many thousands of pounds have been spent in the past making it a secure location. This money would now need to be spent at the Cone. I would guess that the decision to close the museum is centred on the development potential of the land which would generate a sizeable lump sum for the council should the land be sold!

As a descendant of George Woodall, one of the notable cameo glass makers in Stourbridge, and owner of a piece of George Woodall Cameo glass, for many years our family piece has been displayed in the museum. My brother, Christopher Perry wrote a book on George Woodall and was instrumental in launching a unique exhibition of Woodall cameo glass at the museum several years ago. This history cannot be lost to cost cutting bureaucrats and with this in mind I feel certain that should Dudley Met close Broadfield House I would have no hesitation, out of protest, offering the piece to one of the national museums rather than to support this disgraceful move. What a shame and a loss to the area.

And on the heels of this announcement, I also meant to relay this mildly worrying news: while at Broadfield House on Thursday, I heard that two people had already called in personally to ask for their loan pieces back.

Hopefully this will not escalate into a full-scale withdrawal of any important collections!

I have just sent the following e-mail to The Society of Glass Technology. Although not involving collectors as such, its members support would be welcome. I have queried the society before on a couple of matters and the people there have always been most helpful.

Quote

Proposed closure of Broadfield House

Dear Sir/Madam,

Following the announcement by Dudley Council to close Broadfield House and shoe-horn the collection into an inferior site at the Red House Glass Cone, I feel it is necessary to notify as many people as possible to this alarming fact.